CEN11CA503

NTSB accident investigation · Aero Commander 100 · Llano, TX · July 20, 2011

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 20, 2011, 10:20 local (15:20 UTC)
Place
Llano, TX
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N3656XAero Commander 100
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 20, 2011
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA FSDO
FAA report
20110720014749A
Case key
81217

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Personnel issuesPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAero Commander 100: 1 caseAll aircraft: 137 casesProbable cause
Action: delayed actionPersonnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilotAero Commander 100: 1 caseAll aircraft: 894 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The certified flight instructor and his student were practicing takeoffs and landings for approximately an hour. After taking a break, they continued the practice session. The pilot said that the airplane was configured properly for the landing; however, he failed to attain the proper touchdown point, and the airplane impacted a tire used to mark the approach end of the runway. The airplane bounced, yawed right, exited the runway, and collided with nearby trees. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and tail section. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane and said he should have selected a touchdown point further down the runway which would have allowed more room for error.

Factual narrative

The private rated pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) had practiced take-off and landings for approximately an hour. After a break, the take-off and landing practice resumed. The private pilot reported that as they approached the runway for a landing, the airplane was properly trimmed for the approach; however, the airplane touched down before they expected it to. The airplane impacted a tire used to mark the end of the runway; the airplane then bounced and yawed right. The private pilot and CFI were unable to regain control of the airplane before it exited the runway and collided with nearby trees. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical anomalies with the airplane and said he should have selected a touchdown point further down the runway which would have allowed more room for error. Examination of the airplane revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to fuselage, wings, and tail section during the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N3656X
Reported as
Aero Commander 100
Category
Airplane
Serial number
309
Airframe hours
714
Engine
Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 18, 2010
Departed
AQO · LLano, TX
Destination
AQO · LLano, TX
Flight plan
Unknown
Airport
AQO · Llano Municipal Airport, runway 13, 3,240 × 150 ft, grass/turf

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
77
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left
Flight hours
260 total · 9 in this make and model
Role
Flight instructor
Age
70
Injuries
None
Certificates
Private, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 7, 2010
Seat
Right
Flight hours
2,680 total · 9 in this make and model · 2,360 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
190° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
29.97 inHg
Observed at
KAQO

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 518 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.